They influenced generations and their cultural impact was strong.Controversy followed them because it was difficult to succeed in a world of contrasts and bring a new spirit in music. They rose to the top through their own power, managed to change mentalities and revolutionize music. Unfortunately they left us too soon.InRumor challenges you to choose the artist that you think left us with the greatest musical legacy in the past century. If you have other options please share them with us.

Micheal Jackson at 74%. This is ridiculous. It's because his death had impacted young people the most, and he recently came back into popularity. I know tons of people who would say that The Beatles changed their life. But MJ? Not so much.

Micheal Jackson at 74%. This is ridiculous. It's because his death had impacted young people the most, and he recently came back into popularity. I know tons of people who would say that The Beatles changed their life. But MJ? Not so much.

It is ridiculous because I am sure most of those people who are voting for MJ are posers.

Jackson helped ruin modern music by steering it away from being able to play an instrument and sing in the direction of dancing and choreography, which simply looks foolish and embarrassing, even when done by people who are "good" at it. Moonwalking and doing that impossible looking leaning thing that Jacko did are more analagous to tightrope walking or juggling than music. Jacko was more suited to a circus than a pop show. Because of him you now have groups and solo artists who move about to disguise the fact they lack the talent to play their own sounds. We've always had a few like that (Jagger etc) but they used to be the exception, not the rule.

Assuming the candidates for this poll have to be dead I am puzzled as to why Jim Morrison is on there. Buddy Holly, George Harrison or Jimi Hendrix are more deserving, surely?

The argument if there'd been no Lennon there'd be no Jackson is not really fair though. If there'd been no Presley there'd be no Lennon. Everyone draws some influence from what went before but I do think John took music far further and explored many more new directions in the time available to him than any of the others on that list did in their own times.